Fresh install Kubuntu 13.10: how best to partition the HD for optimal, smooth Kontakt & Akonadi

Basil Chupin blchupin at iinet.net.au
Wed Nov 6 12:45:57 UTC 2013


On 05/11/13 10:26, Bas G. Roufs in English wrote:
> Hello  Everybody.
>
> Thanks for all the interesting input in this thread so far - now. Now, I put
> together the essentials - with a view to:
> * clarifying some questions I still have;
> * getting feedback about the way I am considering now to go ahead.

[...]

> In about one or two days from now, I want to start installing Kubuntu 13.10 at
> both laptops.   In this message, I work out the way I am considering to do so.
> That's why, I  would appreciate getting still a bit of feedback from this
> forum.

OK, before I go on with some comments let me state the following:

* As I already stated I do not run Kubuntu (but openSUSE 13.10) and 
therefore do not know what the installation process does when it comes 
to formatting partitions or where it - and how - it wants to put its 
bootloader. This is bit is pretty important;

* What you suggest below is a bit different to what appeared to be your 
original intentions and, keeping in mind what I just stated above, what 
I may comment could and would - and should! - be corrected/commented on 
by those who know Kubuntu; and

* Bearing in mind my above comments, if you were to install openSUSE 
13.10 as your first choice I would feel more comfortable about my 
following comments. But do NOT take this in any shape or form to mean 
that I am pushing oS. oS has KDE as one of its preferred desktop 
environments but how Kubuntu operates is still based on how Ubuntu 
approaches things (and which I find this to be rather disconcerting - 
for example when something has to be done by root in oS it IS done by 
root and not by invoking 'sudo' for every action you want to take. But 
this is neither here not there).


> Via the present effort, I hope to fulfill 4 needs for both laptops:
>
> * smoothly working Kubuntu 13.10 as well as 2 -3 other secondary Linux
> systems;

This is where you introduced the first "change" to your original - 
probably based on the article I pointed you at. This is fine, but I now 
suggest (below) an alternative to how you should partition your HDD(s).


> * enough space at the main system  partition for Windows  7, hosted by Kubuntu
> 13.10 via a VirtualBox environment;

May I with the outmost of respects suggest that you do NOT do this but 
install Win #7 on its own and then "dual boot" rather than have it 
embedded in Linux under Virtualbox?

I have Window 7 Professional installed and it is installed on its own, 
as a distinct and separate system. And if I want to use it - and I use 
it possibly once a month, if that - I simply boot into it from the grub2 
menu.

This leave me with a Linux system as a pure Linux system and the Windows 
7 as a pure Windows system. No mixture, just pure blood systems.

I am also advised by a friend who tried this that there are some Windows 
programs which will not run unless they are run in a purely Windows 7 
installed system.

And you have enough HDD space to be able to install W7 on its own.

The other consideration is that if you re-install the Linux system where 
W7 is used via virtualbox you have to re-install W7 again. So why bother 
with this approach? Simple solution is to install it on its own and dual 
boot with it.


> * a moderate CPU usage, also when Kontact and Akonadi are functioning;

I don't use these so cannot comment re this "moderate CPU usage,..".


> * a data partition that can be approached from 4 different distro's at one HD;

Now here is something which requires clarification.

If you mean by "distro's [sic]" Linux distros then this is fine because 
they will be able to read/write extention 4 file system, but if you 
include anything-Windows here then "the bets are off". (This, BTW, will 
affect your consideration of how to partition your HDD(s) and what file 
system you use to format the partitions.)

Linux can read/write to Windows filesystems (FAT32, NTFS eg) but Windows 
is brainddead and cannot see anything-Linux.

If you want this data partition to be also accessed by Windows 7 then 
you will need to format it in NTFS.

BUT, but, bear in mind that some Linux data written to NTFS may have a 
hassle: Windows file systems do not recognise Linux Permissions for 
example, and, if I remember correctly, it has trouble with Linux symlinks.

So, be clear about what you mean here and what you want to share with whom.

> However it may be - below I work out a few details. And also after today, I
> will keep you updated here on my experience.
>
> BACKUP BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ELSE
> ==================================
> Sanket writes in the beginning of his article:
>> (..).there is a very rare chance of losing data while playing with
>> partitions. So, it is a good idea to back up all
>> important data before advancing any further (...)
> Basil Chupin writes in one of his contributions:
>> The very first thing that you do is to do a backup of your
>> /home/<your-user-name> to whatever destination is of your choice. Probably
>> a USB stick may not be big enough so it would be worthwhile to burn it to a
>> CD or a DVD. Your choice of destination medium.
> Already about 2 years, such an approach is part of my basic routine praxis. I
> am using 2 external HD's where I constantly backup all my data: one of 750 GB,
> another one of 2 TB. Additionally, I also constantly backup some essential
> data online:
> * e-mails and address book via - for the time being still- Google;
> * Firefox bookmarks and passwords via 'Sync'.

I don't know which mail client you use (Thunderbird or KMail) or which 
browser (Firefox or ........) but if you are using Thunderbird and 
Firefox then the simplest way to backup what you just mentioned is to 
backup just 2 folders (in /home):

* /.mozilla (for Firefox - your bookmarks are here); and

* /.thunderbird.

And *I*, personally, would NOT, in any shape or form, have anything to 
do with cloud-anything let alone anything to do with Google. But that is me.


> WHAT EXACTLY TO DO IN WHICH STAGE
> ================================
> In one of my previous mails, I have asked what exactly needs to be done during
> or after installation of the first system - in my case Kubuntu 13.10. Basil has
> answered this question as follows:
>> The very first thing that you do is to do a backup of your
>> /home/<your-user-name> to whatever destination is of your choice. ....
>> You do all the partitioning at the start and while you are installing the
>> system software[$].

Now here is something which I could have added above in my opening 
remarks but I think that it is better stated here.

As I said, the original assumption was that you were going to install 
Kubuntu 13.x. But now the picture has changed a bit and your goals are 
clearer. So to carry on from here you need to-


go to http://www.sysresccd.org/SystemRescueCd_Homepage

and download and burn to disc the SystemRescueCD (v3.8.1, latest).

This CD is one of those most essential tools which everyone should have 
in their tool box.

For your purposes, it contains the tool GParted which you will use to 
partition the HDD(s) before you start to install any systems.

Reason why you use this GParted is that the partitioner in Kubuntu may 
not be able to properly format the NTFS partition you will need for W7 
(at least if you follow my recommendation re where W7 should go).

(Like mc [Midnight Commander] SystemRescueCD is a tool which must exist 
in everyone's collection of useful tools.)


> More details about partitioning and installing system software, you 
> can find below, in the paragraph 'Root, Home, System(s) and Data'. 
> With respect to what needs to be done after installing the first 
> system, Basil writes:
>> After the system is up and running and you have  everything working then it
>> could be the time to start doing the symlinking.
> He works out the last phrase as follows:
>> In other words, there is nothing different to what you would normally do
>> when installing the system except that once its up and running you create
>> the directory Alpha (whatever) in 'Data' partition and symlink the
>> folders/files from your /home to Alpha.
> 1 SMALL 1 GB PARTITION IN THE BEGINNING
> =====================================
>
> You, Basil, say:
>> What I forgot to add is to create another, small, only 1GB big, partition at
>> the beginning and format it in ext4. You probably won't need it right now
>> but at least you will have it available for use should you require it.
> Is that little partition meant for the boot loader?
>
> In other words: ....
>> sda1    1GB     ext4     btldr   <==Do NOT MOUNT[@]
> .... is this the partition you are aiming at?

Yes, it is for the bootloader (as per the article).

And here I think is the time to suggest to you what I think your 
partitioning ought to be.

I suggest the following, and bearing in mind that I strongly recommend 
installing W7 on its own:


drive...size...format...label name...mount point


sda1   1GB     ext4    btldr      (do not mount)

sda2   30GB   NTFS   windows   windows

sda3   30GB   ext4    linux1       /  <==first Linux system

sda4 EXTENDED PARTITION

sda5  4GB     swap

sda6  30GB    ext4  linux2      (do not mount)

sda7  30GB    ext4  linux3      (do not mount)

sda8  30GB   ext4  linux4       (do not mount)

sda9  [95GB] ext4  data         /data



> RAM & SWAP
> ===========
> Myriam Schweingruber writes
>> How much RAM do you have? 2 GB for Swap seems not that much, the rule
>> is to have the double of the RAM up until 8 GB. I currently have 8 GB
>> of RAM and an equal amount of Swap space which runs quite smoothly.
> Georgi Kourtev writes:
>> ....2G of swap. I also noticed that my swap is almost never used.
>> Don't know why. I have 4G RAM. This is Dell inspiron 1520.
> Basil Chupin writes:
>> * Create a SWAP partition of 4GB (probably totally unnecessary but you do
>> have a lot of disc space to play around with);
> Henri Linux comments:
>> I recommend SWAP = RAM capacity because if you gonna put the pc in
>> hibernation you don't' gonna get problems.
> However it may be, I have 4 GB RAM, at both machines. So, I create 4 GB of
> SWAP at each of them.


Just on this point.

I have 16GB of RAM and I have yet to see more than 2.5GB being used. But 
this obviously depends on what apps are running.

(I have just ordered a laptop, Lenovo T530, with all the "trimmings", 
and it will have 8GB of RAM. 4GB would have been more than enough but 
just in case...... I ordered it with 8GB.)

I also have 4GB of swap but this has never been touched as far as I 
know. Someone did suggest that space is required for when you suspend to 
RAM or Hibernate and I understand this - but I never do either of these.

(NOTE: this, BTW, is why I am suggesting that you make the partition for 
W7 30GB big because W7 creates a pagefile.sys file equivalent to your 
RAM amount as well as a hiberfil.sys which is 75% of your RAM size.)


> ROOT , HOME, SYSTEM(S) AND DATA
> ==============================
> Bruce Marshall writes:
>> I normally use a 20GB partition for root with a separate /home partition.
>>
>> And I normally use 1/2 of the 20gb which is pretty much all  used for the
>> system, no user data.
> Georgi Kourtev writes:
>> I have 30G for the root that is about half empty. The rest of my 250 G disk
>> is /home, .......
> Basil's advise on this subject matter is for me -so far- the best way
> indication for  the way I want to go on now:
>
>> [$] After you have read the URL I gave you above, and after taking into
>> account what I wrote previously, you will end up when you partition your
>> HDD with these partitions:
>>
>> (dev - size - file system - name to give in partitioner)
>>
>> sda1    1GB     ext4     btldr   <==Do NOT MOUNT[@]
>>
>> sda2    4GB     swap
>>
>> sda3    30GB   ext4      /        <==INSTALL system here
>> sda4    Extended
>>
>> sda5    30GB   ext4               <==Do NOT mount - for next system
>>
>> sda6    100GB ext4     Data   <==MOUNT as Data[#]
>>
>> sda7    balance ext4    Spare <==MOUNT as Spare[#]
>> [@] You mount this partition manually when, and if, you need it to create a
>> new grub2 menu - read the pdf above.
>>
>> [#]  By mounting them in the partitioner setup these will appear in
>> /etc/fstab and be auto mounted on bootup.
> For the time being, I will start with Kubuntu 13.10 along with KDE 4.11.2 as
> main system, in the primary partition 'sda3' and reserve 3 other ext4
> partitions for 'secondary' systems. When that system will be up and running, I
> will create the symlinks from /home to /data. After doing so, I will soon
> install two secondary systems and create the same symlinks from their
> respective /home directories to /data. I choose for 2 systems that both also
> function along with KDE 4.11.2:
> * Kubuntu 12.04  (with backports);
> * openSUSE 13.01.

This should be openSUSE 13.10 and not 13.01.

oS 13.10 is yet to be released (scheduled for official realese 19 Nov) 
but the RC2 I am now using is perfect. The current official release is 12.3.


> At a third partition, I will test in a later stage a 'release candidate' of
> Kubuntu 14.04.
>
> Taking into account all the advises and my own decisions so far,  I am
> considering now to partition the HD at both laptops as follows:

But please see above my (new) suggested partitioning plan.

> (dev - size - file system - name to give in partitioner  <=== other remarks)
>
> 'PRIMARY' PARTITIONS: sda1-sda2-sda3.
> ================================
> sda1- 1 GB - ext 4 -  bootloader <==== no mount now, if necessary later[1]
>
> sda2 - 4 GB - swap - swap <==== at both laptops, RAM is also 4 GB.
>
> sda3 - 50 GB - ext 4 - /  <====  Main system: Kubuntu 13.10 & KDE 4.11.2,
> hosting Windows 7 in a VirtualBox environment;
>
> Question: does a  /home partition need to be manually set here? Or will /home
> simply show up here after finishing the installation process?
>
> 'EXTENDED' PARTITIONS: sda4 and beyond.
> ===================================
> sda4  <====  first 'extended' partition
> Question: will 'sda4' contain anything else except the beginning of the
> 'extended' partition?
>
> sda5 - 30 GB - ext 4 <====  2nd system: Kubuntu 12.04 LTS & KDE 4.11.2. [2]
>
> sda6 - 30 GB - ext 4 <====  3rd system:  OpenSuse 13.1 & KDE 4.11.2 [3]
>
> sda7 - 30 GB - ext 4 <==== 4th system: Kubuntu 14.04 RC & KDE 4.11.2 [4]
>
> sda8 - 100 GB - ext 4 - Data - <====  to be mounted as 'Data'[5]
>
> sda9 - 5 GB (Asus 1001 HA) or 255 GB (HP Pavilion DM 1)  - ext 4 - Reserve -
> <==== to be mounted as 'Reserve'[5]
>
> [1] sda1 can be mounted manually later, in case a 2nd bootloader is necessary.

> Question: how can I PREVENT that partition from being mounted during the
> installation process of Kubuntu 13.10.?
>
> [2] NO mount during installation of first system. Kubuntu 12.04 will be a kind
> of system fall back option, in case something will go wrong with Kubuntu
> 13.10. Planning: mid or 2nd half of November. Questions:
>
> * how can I PREVENT that partition from being mounted during the installation
> process of Kubuntu 13.10.?
>
> * do I need to mount that partition when installing there Kubuntu 12.04?

This is where at the beginning I opened my comments with the statement 
that I have not installed Kubuntu and don't know how its partitioner 
behaves and what control it allow you, the user, over what it does.

With openSUSE the partitioner allows you to EDIT a partition and there 
it allows you to format the partition and Mount it or not have it 
mounted -  eg, you can format a partition in ext4 and label it 'linux2' 
but not mount it so that it wouldn't appear in /etc/fstab, and you will 
need to mount it manually when you want to use it. I am guessing that 
Kubuntu will allow you to do the same, but I am only guessing.

........................................

I'll stop here and finish off the rest tomorrow morning.

[...]

BC

-- 
Using openSUSE 13.1, KDE 4.11.2 & kernel 3.11.6-3 on a system with-
AMD FX 8-core 3.6/4.2GHz processor
16GB PC14900/1866MHz Quad Channel Corsair "Vengeance" RAM
Gigabyte AMD3+ m/board; Gigabyte nVidia GTX660 OC 2GB DDR5 GPU






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